By Ana Ley :
March 8, 2013
: Updated: March 9, 2013 10:54pm

Before her husband died about a year ago, he asked his wife to give Lawson, 67, access to their account at Air Force Federal Credit Union so he could help her if she couldn't handle their finances.

The couple had saved a considerable sum of money, according to a police report.

Police said Lawson withdrew $175,000 from the account on July 21 without her permission, then took out more than $24,000 two days later, but used none of the cash to pay the woman's bills.

She has made arrangements with the credit union to secure what funds she has left and deny the man access to her accounts, the report says.

Lawson was charged Thursday with theft, misappropriation of fiduciary property or property of a financial institution and exploitation of an elderly individual. Because he's accused of stealing more than $200,000, the first two charges are first-degree felonies.